The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-05-05
Very Old.

from the Independent, Jan. 8, 1857
A press di~pa,ch from Philadelphia,
giving as authority the lab"rs of a repor-
tor on the Times of that city, gives
what purports to be "some very inter
esting information about big life insu-
RANGES and those who hold them"
Among these are mentioned Mr.. John
B. Stetson 1920, 900; f. B. Gowen, Sl25-
900; John Wanamaker, $3.50, 0G0; B Fl.
Shoemaker and Wharton Barker, $780,
600: Geo. Fl. Stuart, 100000; L. 4.
Cassidy, J. r. Dobbins, and George
Hardin, 100000. Those are Phlladei-
phian~. Among New Workers are men~
toned: H. B. Claf n, Sl25.'00; Henry
Ward Beecher, 800 OOO, Cnas A. Dana,
1920, 900; Chas. Pratt and Henry B. Hyde
Sl65. OO): John Gibb, $4,000, Alexander
Barrett and IT. B. Roberts, 500"
Cyrus w. Field, $40. 600; F. w. Devoe.
$3.50. 600; Pierre Lorillard, $685., 200; Jay
Gould, 100000; W. II. Vanderbilt,
$500 900.
Perhaps this list is in part imaginative;
yet many OF the names have been repeat
eddy brought into type in this way; aud,
as to some of the prominent men IA led.
it is undoubtedly true that at least they
carry large insurance. The argument
from example is just as good as it is in
tended to be- 1t does not mean that tie
man with 5000 year ought to have
900 900 insurance because some million
aire carries that amount, nor that he
| ought to take out a larger policy than be
mas reasonable expectation Of pay ing tor
| 1t means that The men whose Judgment
| Is best attested by the result, it has
achieved for them, believe that the life
| insurance system is sale, do not believe
any of the stale stories about misman-
| agement OF the companies, &c, and do
not believe life Insurance cost more than
it returns. Some years ago, within the
| personal knowledge OF the writer hereof,
one insurance man mentioned to another
| the name OF Albert Weber. then a we'll
Known piano maker, as man who was
| not insured, and as therefore, posi-
| bic candidate. Nhereupon the other
| replied: albert Weber can't be insur-
! ed.' The meaning of course was that
| MIR. Weber could not be persuaded TO
| be; that is, he Uoutd not be insured. He
died not very long sfter. The son, OF
the same name, proved not his equal
IN business ability, and it is evident
that MI. Webers estate would have been
! prOtllt d had he had less firmly-rooteu
| objection to life insurance.
This is only very ordinary example
of The kind, hardly to be named b, the
side of the many painful cases of wealth
exchanged for poverty, and luxury for
| prlvstlOn, because of An over cont demo e
in the tixity of individual prosperity.
The wings of riches, the changefuluess
of material conditions, the prudence Of
having something put beyond contin
gency, and the fact that nothing is quite
safe from reverses which does not stand
upon average prosperity-these are the
piainest lessons of experience.
| Tire moral is old and homely. To be
come Insured is not 10 become rich.
except in a highly fgurative SENSE.
For the present rich, it ia to secure
fortune against all dangers; for
the mass of mankind. it is to put up a
barrier against positive want. 1t is a
saving process practicable for all aud,
practicslly-that is, in the insurance
sense-completed as soon as it is begun.
! No other process has ever been devised
which will do as much: and none can be.
In country where Nature is not St,
Find and human wants so few, thai
existence may be leness, there can be-
nothing else to take it's place. 1t costs,
undoubtedly; that is the worst of it; bu,
all requirement costs. 1t is only air
castles, and expectations" and prom
ises, that are cheap.